Second suspect arraigned in brutal beating death of Syracuse man

Lewis Swift ArraignmentLewis Swift being arraigned in City Court before Judge James Cecile on the murder charge in fatal beating of Carnell Marshall. He stands next to assigned lawyer, Sheldon Gould.

Syracuse, NY - A second suspect was arraigned today in City Court in the brutal beating death of a man whose body was found in a vacant lot off the 2500 block of South Salina Street earlier this month.

Lewis Swift, 31, of 106 McAllister Ave., was arraigned before Judge James Cecile on felony charges of second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in the death of Carnell Marshall.

Swift is accused of acting with Gregory L. Ware -- and a third unnamed person -- to kill Marshall late the evening of April 12. Marshall, 27, of 113 Maris Drive, was punched, kicked, bludgeoned with a board and a rock and burned with cigarettes.

His body was found the morning of April 14 in a vacant lot behind Mavis Discount Tire at 2527 S. Salina St.

According to court papers, the attack on Marshall began inside Swift's McAllister Avenue home and then continued outside the residence and across the street into the lot where the body later was found.

Ware and Swift are both accused of repeatedly punching and kicking Marshall during the attack. Ware also is accused of striking the victim repeatedly with a board and Swift is accused of hitting Marshall a number of times with a rock.

Court papers indicate the victim was burned with cigarettes as he cried out for help after he was dragged into the back corner of the lot across the street from Swift's home.

The victim's clothing, with the exception of a t-shirt and one sock, was stripped off the body as Marshall was beaten and dragged from the house to the lot, according to the court papers.

Ware, 27, of 1218 South Ave., was arrested Saturday and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Swift was arrested Tuesday evening in Auburn, police reported.

Assigned Counsel lawyer Sheldon Gould entered a "not guilty" plea for Swift and Cecile assigned lawyer Theodore Stenuf to represent the defendant. The judge ordered Swift held in jail without bail and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Monday.

View full sizeEllen Blalock / The Post-StandardLewis Swift, right, stands next to assigned counsel Sheldon Gould, while being arraigned in City Court for murder in the fatal beating of Carnell Marshall.